Retributor Beam Laser: An Idea

[Gavin786]

As we all know the Retributor Beam Laser is the most useless of all PP modules completely out of balance compared to the Pink Princess's META Supershields, Rui's PackHounds or Hudson's Pacifiers. Even the Cytoscrambler is 100x more useful than this weapon as it does have a niche use. This (along with Torval's Mining Lance) has no place in any serious build.

This weapon needs to be buffed. Not just buffed but fundamentally rethought. No-one wants to go back to the heat meta. Probably one reason this has been ignored so far. The function of this weapon is to heat up enemy ships, which frankly, if it does its job will just annoy people and if it does not(current situation) will never be used.

What I Propose:

The current special effect(heat) needs to be removed completely.

Add a new special effect that acts as a 'thermal vent' weapon, SIGNIFICANTLY(to make it worth it on massive ships and PvP ships) cooling the firing ship upon striking the target but having NO PENALTY(unlike thermal vent) for missing(does not heat up the firing ship), so that it is not simply a stronger version of the 'thermal vent' effect. We hopefully would then start to see this weapon on the builds of some CMDRs. It could even be useful on larger ships to enable CMDRs to safely hot bank, use rails more often or other interesting uses. The actual damage the weapon does could be reduced to compensate. It should NOT apply heat to the enemy target, merely remove heat from the firing vessel, and in a great amount to make it a worthwhile special weapon to use(and to wait 4 weeks to get). Probably similar to effect of a C4 beam thermal vent would make it worthwhile; precedent has already been set with Cytoscrambler high(C4+) level of dmg to shields(if it can hit). Just doing a C1 beam thermal vent will keep the weapon just as useless as it is now.

Even if this idea does not fly, something has to be done to save the Retributor. Are there any other good ideas out there?

Signing off,

CMDR Gavin786

 

[IndigoWyrd]

As we all know the Retributor Beam Laser is the most useless of all PP modules completely out of balance compared to the Pink Princess's META Supershields, Rui's PackHounds or Hudson's Pacifiers. Even the Cytoscrambler is 100x more useful than this weapon as it does have a niche use. This (along with Torval's Mining Lance) has no place in any serious build.

I'll have you know, I've used mining lances on my Type-9 miner for quite some time, and they are fantastic for it. The increased range, combined with being a small weapon, fitting the T-9's small hardpoints, makes them perfect.

I also use a pair on my Exploration Dolphin - again, their small size and increased range makes them exceptional for chipping materials when synthesis demands something.

As weapons, they're quite sad, and could use a serious buff in that department, to at least 75% the damage output of a comparable small beam laser. Though that said, I did once fry an NPC sidewinder that was bothering my Type-9 with them, mostly out of spite, since the sidewinder couldn't even bring my T-9's prismatics down a ring.

 

[DNA-Decay]

Uh, indigo- this thread is about the Retribution Laser not the Mining Lance.

Mining Lance has always been “okay”

Retributor Laser -
uh there’s a video somewhere of Vectron in an Anaconda with an all Retributor load out, and a Sidewinder just sitting there taking it.
Video ran for like 15 minutes and the Sidey didn’t even drop shields.

Retributor has always been worse than useless.
-Actually there was a beta when the heat META was king and the Retributor was “okay” during that, but they nerfed heat effects accross the board. Didn’t even make it to a live build.

Frontier don’t care and will never fix the Retributor.

No-one joins the Alliance for the guns.
We steal them from the Feds.

 

[Saool]

Wasn't that the winning joke at last year's Edinburgh festival?

"Yesterday I fitted my Cobra Mk III with four Retributors"

That was it. Ba dum tish.

 

[Vardaugas]

Or you double its damage, replace the thermal conduit with a special effect which increases weapon damage depending on the target's heat level and you have a heat based weapon effect that is unique and kinda retains the "retribution" aspect. I'd set the start of increased damage lower than thermal conduit and add tiers to it that can greatly increase damage dealt against really hot ships.

 

[moorison]

Uh, indigo- this thread is about the Retribution Laser not the Mining Lance.

Mining Lance has always been “okay”

Retributor Laser -
uh there’s a video somewhere of Vectron in an Anaconda with an all Retributor load out, and a Sidewinder just sitting there taking it.
Video ran for like 15 minutes and the Sidey didn’t even drop shields.

Retributor has always been worse than useless.
-Actually there was a beta when the heat META was king and the Retributor was “okay” during that, but they nerfed heat effects accross the board. Didn’t even make it to a live build.

Frontier don’t care and will never fix the Retributor.

No-one joins the Alliance for the guns.
We steal them from the Feds.

I assume this is one reason why Mahon has been dominating for such a long time, no Cmdr signs up just for the weapons, more goal-oriented playing.

Another idea, something like an aggressive alternative to the healing beams: they get more powerful if multiple wing ships fire on a target. I guess that requires some amount of balancing work.

 

[Stamford Rider]

If it's rubbish don't use it, simples.

 

[Ceekay]

How about making it a more effective version of the phasing sequence experimental, base weapon would have a least the same DPS as the equivalent beam weapon with say 30-40% damage to hull through the shield, perhaps have it in all classes to make it unique.

 

[IndigoWyrd]

Uh, indigo- this thread is about the Retribution Laser not the Mining Lance.

Mining Lance has always been “okay”

Retributor Laser -
uh there’s a video somewhere of Vectron in an Anaconda with an all Retributor load out, and a Sidewinder just sitting there taking it.
Video ran for like 15 minutes and the Sidey didn’t even drop shields.

Retributor has always been worse than useless.
-Actually there was a beta when the heat META was king and the Retributor was “okay” during that, but they nerfed heat effects accross the board. Didn’t even make it to a live build.

Frontier don’t care and will never fix the Retributor.

No-one joins the Alliance for the guns.
We steal them from the Feds.

Uh, Decay- I know, but the OP was the one who said, and I quote: "This (along with Torval's Mining Lance) has no place in any serious build." so the urge to offer a bit of a correction was overwhelming.

Personally, I've neither owned nor pursued the Retributor, because, well, it does rather suck, all around suck.

 

[Bunkerkind Anni]

Uh, Decay- I know, but the OP was the one who said, and I quote: "This (along with Torval's Mining Lance) has no place in any serious build." so the urge to offer a bit of a correction was overwhelming.

Personally, I've neither owned nor pursued the Retributor, because, well, it does rather suck, all around suck.

didn't know that it sucks... i thought its inducing heat

AFAIK all heat imparting effects got capped at 100% target heat. that reduces the usage of this weapon significantly
but what about adding the thermal shock mod? will it heat up a target in less time?

compared to the imperial lance... the retributor can at least be modded.
you can have efficient + thermal vent on it and still keep the thermal shock

the imperial lance on the other hand - would be a great candidate for thermal vent, given how much more heat it produces, compared to a default beam laser

 

[Daynen]

The whole PP weapons thing needs to be rethought, but we've all heard that song and dance before sooooo...yeah. The retributor seemed cool in concept but has just turned out to be overly impractical for 99% of all playstyles and functions, ESPECIALLY with the massive increase in maximum hull strength brought on by the age of engineering. Pre-engi's, it was sometimes a valid choice, though still a bit niche. Now? You could cook someone for ten minutes and not get a kill.

Here's an idea: instead of a heat weapon, why not a weapon that actually DOES something other than damage?

What if it could gather warrant data on the ship as it stays trained on them? What if it functioned like a KWS after enough consecutive time was spent beaming the same target? Maybe it could incrementally gather data on each system for which the target has a warrant every few seconds, obviously accelerated by multiple beams? It would free up a utility slot and make bounty hunting a bit more seamless between kills, especially if you're willing to go with mlutiple hardpoints of it.

Just throwing SOMETHING out there. It would obviously be a replacement for engineered warrant scanners, but hey, if you're willing to put up with powerplay headaches and you're NOT pledged to Aisling, you still deserve SOMETHING, right? It would definitely make it a bounty hunter's weapon...

 

[Morbad]

I'm sure there is a way to make thermal load weapons potent enough to matter without making combat revolve around them. It was a good idea, it's just never had the right balance in it's implementations.